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EU issues Karpaz warning to TRNC

EU issues Karpaz warning to TRNC

Stefan Fule, head of the EU Enlargement Commission has written to President Eroglu.

In a letter, claimed to be hard hitting, Mr Fule addresses environmental issues in the TRNC and warns that if the scale of damage is confirmed then financial assistance from the EU will stop.

This news comes from the Greek Cypriot newspaper ‘Phileleftheros‘ and was not initially publicised in the north. However when questioned, Mr Eroglu confirmed that he had received a letter from Mr Fule on March 27th but that it was more a request for information than demands.

Mr Eroglu went on to say that Mr Fule wanted to have more information on the environmental problems in the Karpaz region. Specifically on the proposed concert for 80,000 people, road widening projects, and stone quarries as well as the Karpaz donkeys. (It has since been reported that the organisers of the Silk Road Music Festival were finding another venue after complaints by environmentalists.)

Mr Eroglu said that he had written to the government to get their input before he replied to Mr Fule.

According to the ‘Phileleftheros’ newspaper, Mr Fule points out that despite having its own economic problems, the EU aid budget to the TRNC is 31 million euro for 2013.

Mr Eroglu feels that this newspaper has exaggerated the tone of the letter in an attempt to stop EU aid coming to the TRNC. Prior to that, the Greek Cypriots had threatened legal action to stop the aid but were unsuccessful in blocking it.

EU aid to the TRNC for the Natura 2000 project, concerned with environmental issues in the Karpaz is 1.5 million euros.